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When I First Become a Christian

I remember the day I gave my life to Jesus. It was around 11:30 am Australian Eastern Standard time on the 15th of October 1995, after a church service (I hadn’t darkened the doorstep of a church for many years you have to understand) where the pastor, Ted Keating, preached a message called, “God is […]

I remember the day I gave my life to Jesus. It was around 11:30 am Australian Eastern Standard time on the 15th of October 1995, after a church service (I hadn’t darkened the doorstep of a church for many years you have to understand) where the pastor, Ted Keating, preached a message called, “God is Calling You”.

It’s a while ago now, but I remember it as though it was yesterday. It wasn’t some wishy-washy thing for me. It wasn’t a case of – Oh yeah, I guess I believe. No! I was in boots and all. I deliberately – by God’s grace – gave my life to Jesus. I remember saying to Him: God, everything I am, everything I have, every hope and every dream I give to you.

So, it was a big deal, a huge turn around for me. But for the first year or so, even after that, I was kind of shy about what I’d done. I didn’t really want to tell a whole bunch of people about it. To be honest, I’d been a tough, successful businessman, and I was afraid that I’d look like a bit of an idiot.

I could just hear what people would say – Hey have you heard? Berni’s got religion? I think he’s flipped his lid.

When all was said and done, I was ashamed of the Gospel. Ashamed – can you believe it? Well, actually, there are plenty of people who believe in Jesus, who even love Him, who still, today, are ashamed of the fact that they’ve put their trust in Him. Think about it. He utterly transforms our lives and still, we’re ashamed? What’s that about?

The Apostle Paul was an interesting guy. He too had a dramatic conversion, from being a Pharisee who persecuted Christians, to a man who, having met Jesus, travelled the known world telling people all about Him. This is how Paul puts it:

I am proud of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes – to save the Jews first, and now to save those who are not Jews. (Romans 1:16)

And that attitude got him beaten, persecuted, jailed and, ultimately, executed. How about you? Are you a closet Christian? Or are you, like Paul, unafraid to tell others about this Jesus who came to save you?